10 STBUCTVBE OF THE LEPIDOPTEEA 



occasion, however, while watching a Peacock Butterfly apparently 

 engaged in cleaning its divided proboscis, I observed that this organ 

 was frequentl}' passed under the thorax, and that the front pair of 

 legs were pressed against it on each side, while it was being drawn 

 outward between them. It is probable, therefore, that these limbs 

 constitute a pan- of brushes by means of which the fine grooves of 

 the divided trunk are cleared of any solid or sticky matter that may- 

 lodge therein. It is certain that moths, and those butterflies that 

 possess six equal legs, use the front pair for this same purpose. The 

 former, also, employ them for brushing their antennae, which seem 

 to be, by the way, particular^ sensitive to different kinds of 

 irritation. 



It is a well-known fact that tobacco smoke has a powerful 

 influence on certain stnall insects ; and even though it can hardly 

 be regarded as a perfect all-round insecticide, it is certainly more 

 or less objectionable to the larger and hardier species. A short time 

 since, while watching a number of newly 

 emerged moths of the Sjihinx group, and at 

 the same time enjoying the solace afforded by 

 the luxurious weed, a puff of the smoke was 



accidentally allowed to play into the box in 

 Fig. 9.— The Unde- , . , , e U \- ■ ■ i 



VELOPED Fore Leg ^^l^^^h my pets were for the tnne miprisoned. 



OF A Butterfly. Immediately they rubbed their front legs 



vigorousl}' over the antennae, as if to remove 



the obnoxious irritant that had thus intruded on then- presence. 



Similar observations have led many naturalists to suppose that the 



antennae are the seat of various senses, such as those of touch, 



hearing, and smell. Seeing that insects do not, as far as we know, 



possess special organs for all the five senses which we enjoy (and it 



is interesting to note here that some insects certainlj'^ experience 



other sensations which are quite beyond our ken), we can quite 



understand the common vtendency to locate the seats of certain of 



the senses in such easily affected parts as the antennae. But little, 



I believe, has been definitely proved save that the antennie are 



sensitive to touch and to irritants generally. 



While speaking of the senses of insects, I cannot refrain from 



mentioning a most remarkable example of a peculiar sensitiveness 



that has been observed in certain moths of the family Bombi/ces 



(page 217) —notably the Oak Eggar, the Emperor, and the Kentish 



Glory. Take a newly emerged female of either of these species, 



shut her up in a small box, conceal the box in yoiir pocket, and then 



